1979 Best Irish Short
Carole
Director: Stephen Rabbette
Producer: Stephen Rabbette
Ireland

1979 European Community Award
Celtic Gas
Director: George Fleischmann
Producer: George Fleischmann
Ireland

1979 Best General Interest and Documentary Short Film
Osprey
Director: Hugh Miles
Producer: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Film Unit
UK

1979 Best Animated or Cartoon Short Film
Kniatuszek
Producer: Film Polski
Poland

1979 Best Short Film on Art
The Artist's Horse
Director: John Bulmer
Producer: John Bulmer Films
UK

1979 Best Fictional Short Film
Butch Minds The Baby
Director: Peter Webb
Producer: Adrian Tughes
UK

1979 Best Scientific or Industrial Sponsored Short Film
Farewell My Problem
Director: Don Higgens
Producer: Boyd Catling
UK

1979 Dermot Breen Memorial Award
Kolorove Piorke
Producer: Film Polski
Poland

1979 Highlights

• First Festival without Dermot Breen who is recently deceased on October 5th 1978. Festival pays tribute to Dermot Breen, founder member of the festival. Lord Mayor Jim Corr said "he was the man whose inspiration and courage founded the festival 24 years ago and whoses dynamism and leadership guided it through the first 23 years of its life"
• Opening Gala (USA) Norma Rae, directed by Martin Ritt
• Closing Gala (USA) China Syndrome, directed by James Bridges
• Programme contains 30 feature films and 100 shorts
• Dublin actress, Mary Larkin who starred in the Australian series 'Against the Wind' attends the Festival
• Screening of Academy Award 'White Bim Black Ears' by Russian filmaker Stanislav Hostovsky
• By special permission of the government, the Opera House is transformed into a cinema for the festival. The Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Jim Corr officially opens the festival.
• Festival overcomes a postal, telegraph strike and a petrol shortage which affects the number of people attending from overseas
• Louis Marcus is a judge on the Shorts Jury